TABUK, Kalinga (Dec. 22) — Seven soldiers of the 21st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) shot a Lubuagan farmer on December 14 while on his way to a communal pastureland to visit his carabaos.

According to a relative of the victim, the seven fully armed soldiers came from the 21st IBPA detachment at Poway, Lubuagan of this province. On that same day, the soldiers reached Sitio Gaang of Poblacion, Lubuagan where they met Kiwkiw Iway, single, 45, a resident of Poblacion, who was going to his pastureland.

The said soldiers shot at Kiwkiw and hit his right arm, according to the witness. The victim managed to escape but left his carbine gun, which the soldiers took.

The said soldiers later told residents in Lubuagan that they had an encounter with a member of the New People Army (NPA).

The witnesses, including the barangay officials of Poblacion, Lubuagan, claimed that Kiwkiw is not a member of the NPA. They added that the victim was carrying a carbine gun due to an existing clan war in their village. # Jimmy Suwagon for NORDIS

Post your comments, reactions to this article